Syren's Call
by AcaciaDawn
Summary: I really hate summaries, but I have to give one. Strange man comes in bar, strange girl gets called in to help with strange project...Strange man may/may not be our favorite Star-Spangled Man With The Plan...Strange girl may/may not be genetically altered spy...READ AND REVIEW PEOPLE OR I WILL NOT CONTINUE WITH ANY OTHER STORIES!
1. Chapter 1

Come away with me in the night

Come away with me

And I will write you a song

Come away with me on a bus

Come away where they can't tempt us

With their lies

I want to walk with you

On a cloudy day

In fields where the yellow grass grows knee-high

So won't you try to come

Come away with me and we'll kiss

On a mountaintop

Come away with me

And I'll never stop loving you

And I want to wake up with the rain

Falling on a tin roof

While I'm safe there in your arms

So all I ask is for you

To come away with me in the night

Come away with me

(Norah Jones-Come Away With Me)

She smiled as the small crowd of the regulars applauded and whistled at her. Just a normal night at a normal bar, this waitress sang her heart out for someone who probably wasn't even real. All she could ever do is dream that one day some knight in shining armor would come in and sweep her off her feet…_Yeah, as if that'll ever happen._ So instead, she sang for the poor souls who hung around the bar almost every night.

Line on your face don't bother me

Down in my chair when you dance over me

I can't help myself

I've got to see you again

Late in the night when I'm all alone

And I look at the clock and I know you're not home

I can't help myself

I've got to see you again

I could almost go there

Just to watch you be seen

I could almost go there

Just to live in a dream

But no I won't go for any of those reasons

To not touch your skin is not why I sing

I can't help myself

I've got to see you again

I could almost go there...

No I won't go to share you with them

But oh even though I know where you've been

I can't help myself

I've got to see you again

And with that, it was over.

"Alright, since I'm up here, last call for drinks everyone. You all know the rules: you don't have to go home, but…"

"YOU CAN'T STAY HERE!" the crowd answered. She did this every night, it was a tradition.

So, she stepped down and went to the bar to start taking last drink orders.

"Excuse me? Miss?"

She turned around to see the most _gorgeous_ man ever standing a few feet from her.

"What can I get you, sir?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm not getting another drink. I just wanted to say thanks."

The waitress was thoroughly confused. "What for?"

"It's been a long time since I heard someone with a voice like that…it brought back memories, good memories. You're a real crooner."

"Crooner?" she chuckled at his choice of words. If she hadn't been standing, talking to him face-to-face, she would have thought he was one of the old-timers that sometimes come in.

"Um, I mean, the type of music, you know, like you're crooning. It's…uh…heh," he started nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess I'm not exactly the best at giving pretty dames complements."

_Dames? What the hell, did he grow up under a rock with a group of WWII Vets?_

"Well, um, I'll pretend that you're not stumbling and bumbling like a moron and call it a complement. Okay?"

He chuckled, "Sure thing, doll."

_Doll? Really?_

"Well, I really gotta get back to work."


	2. Chapter 2

_Ch. 2~ One Year Later_

By the time J.J. finally got through the door of her hut, it was nearly 2:30 in the morning. Her big black cat padded up to her and rubbed against her legs.

"Hey there, girl. You hungry?" The cat meowed in response. "Hmph, me too."

She had just set the food on the ground when someone called up. Looking over the edge reveiled none other than the notorious Phil Coulson, backed by several other agents.

"What do you want?" J.J. called.

"To talk." _Oh, that man._

"I'm not interested. Now, beat it before I call in reinforcements." She watched in pleasure as a few of the younger agents squirmed.

"Nice try, but there's no point in bluffing. Just let us up and hear me out. Please, _Syren."_

She almost made some other snarky comment, but Coulson only ever called her that when it was something really serious. So, letting down the basket, she opened the flap to her tree hut, and fixed him with a glare. "Come on in, but don't expect anything from me."

"That's all I'm asking." The agents filed in and stood behind Coulson, who sat on a floor cusion. "You've rearranged recently."

"No shit, Sherlock. I figured you'd have known that, what with your agents watching my every move. Now, start talking or you're out on your ass in the wet mud. What do you want? Or, more accurately, what does Fury want?"

"Your help." He waited a moment, then sighed, "We need you...for...the Avengers."

J.J. was silent for a second, before she busted out laughing. "You - you actually think - _snort_ - that I'm - I'm gonna team up with a bunch of - _pfft _- science projects?" By this time, she was practically rolling on her mat.

"I fail to see how this is amusing." Phil said flatly.

Then she stopped laughing, stood up, and fixed him with her best Evil Eye. The other agents behind him shrank back as the air around the small woman took on a dark aura.

"Give me one good reason, _just...one_, as to why I should make myself even more of a target by joining up with a buch of scientists whose greatest dream is to strap me to a table and disect me while I still breathe?"

But Phil wasn't fazed. "Because this is your home, your hunting ground. Yet you love this world. And there are scientists who wouldn't even _think_ about harming a hair on your pretty little head. I also know that it's in your nature to help people. That's just how you are, and that's why we need you."

"What? Because you think that I'll try to save every poor soul I come across?" She got up and went to the window. "Things change, Phil. _People_ change. That sweet innocent little girl you used to know is gone, taken over by the demons."

"Yes, we are well aware of the issue with your boyfriend several years ago. It has been dealt with accordingly. However..." he put a Holo-file on her low wood table, "it isn't _just_ your physical abilities we're interested in this time. The agency is in dire need of someone with your unique...attributes...when it comes to your previous experiences. We need someone with the ability to understand people, to get in their heads. We need you..."


	3. Chapter 3

_Ch. 3 ~ Don't Piss Me Off._

_**Cap POV**_

Once the quinjet touched down on SHIELD's helecarrier, Steve Rogers was finally given a respire form Agent Coulson's constant questions and praises. Cap was sure he was a nice guy, but the whole super fan thing was more than a little uncomfortable. After meeting Agent Romanogg and Dr. Banner, the former suggested going inside.

"Is this a _submarine_?" the Captain asked in awe.

"Really? They wanna put _me_ in a pressurized, submerghed, metal container?" Suddenly, the propellers started spinning and lifting them into the air. "Oh, no. This is _much_ better," he said sarcastically.

Whe they got to the bridge, Steve noticed a hooded, cloaked figure in the corner, obviously trying _not_ to be noticed. He turned fully to face the petite person, analyzing them the way they watched him through the red and black strip of cloth over their oddly luminecent eyes. There was an odd clacking noise whenever they...she...moved. It was blatently obvious it was a woman, not that he paid attention. considering how small she was and the way she stood despite the heavy cloak she wore. And it was obvious that, whoever she was, she didn't want to be there.

As Fury walked by him, Steve remembered that he had lost the bet and handed over the ten-dollar bill. Everywhere he looked, the Captain felt even more out of place. What with his plad button-down, brown bomber5 jacket, kahki slacks, and loafers, he stuck out like a sore thumb among the crisp uniforms and hi-tech gadgets. While the others talked science and numbers, Steve watched the screens that searched for the guy who had stolen the Cube from SHIELD.

"Captain?" Fury's voice pulled him out of his train of thought.

"Sir?" Steve went to attention out of habit.

"Go suit up, and Agent Romanoff will show you to the quinjet." Steve jsut nodded, moving away from the computers to follow the red-headed woman to the place where his uniform was.

_**Several Hours Later**_

On the way back to the helecarrier, with Loki in their possession, Steve couldn't help but voice his concers.

"Something's off with this guy. I don't remember it being that easy."

"Oh, I dunno. I mean, you're pretty spry for an older fella'." Tony Stark turned to him, "What do you take? Palaties?"

"_What?_" All the new slang and lingo made the good Captain's head spin.

"It's like calesthenics. Well, you mighta missed some stuff doin' time as a Capcicle," Tony chuckled at his bad joke.

The sky started flashing as a storm began to roll over them. "Where did this come from?" Natasha said.

Loki leaned forward, as if listening for something. Cap noticed this. "What's the matter? You scared of a little lightning?"

"I'm not _overly_ fond of what follows," the god of mischeif stated glumly as he continued his hearch.

There was a sudden _**thump**_ on the roof of the quinjet, and Tony moved to open the hatch. A tall man in armor and a red cape landed and threw the Iron Man back, before grabbing Loki by the collar and flying off again.

"Now there's that guy." Tony stood up, then moved toward the door.

"Stark, we need a plan of attack!"

"I have a plan...Attack." Then he was gone.

"Damn it."

_**J.J. POV**_

She figured they might need her help, despite Fury's insistance that they wouldn't. So, she took off. When she found them, Tony was about to fire a repulser ray at a humongasoar man with a big hammner...a guy she would know anywhere.

"STOP!" she yelled as she flew down in front of the one called Thor.


	4. Chapter 4

_Ch. 4 ~ Wings_

_**Cap POV**_

Something flew past his head...something big, and it yelled at them to stop. When Steve had turned to see what it was, the sight before him made his jaw drop open. A small figure was _hovering_ in front of Loki's brother, almost like she was defending him. But her defence wasn't what astounded him...It was her appearance.

The girl had large, tawny wings that kept her off the ground. But the outfit she wore was reveiling and left little to the imagination (which cause the good Captain's eyes to widen and red to tinge his cheeks). She wore what appeared to be a strip of cloth with a halter syile cord holding up multiple strings of beads and thread, also tied at her waist (creating an improptu shirt). Her bottom half was hardly covered at all. She had a bathing suit bottom with a loin cloth that reached her ankles. Her feet had what looked, to Steve, like mocosins that someone had tied woll around, up to her mid-shin. Her nick, wrists, ears, and even hair were adorned with beads and feathers, a;; pf wjocj c;ocled tpgetjer wjem sje ,pved.

Now he know who the mysterious person in the cloak had been. Then he looked away, to her face. There was a single thick stripe of red with a thinner line of black on the top and bottom over her eyes, which he realized was actually ;aint, not cloth.

"Whoa, who ordered the epic Amazon stirpper?" Tony said, "Me likes."

"Back off, playboy! Or, I swear, I will rear through that suit of yours and gut you like a fish." Her speech was strange, but properly pronounced.

"What be thy name, Valkyrie?" Thor asked suddenly. "And why would the All-Father's shieldmaiden appear before us now? Surely it is not yet our time?"

"Pfft. You've been away too long, my friend." She spun around to face him, touching down and folding her wings to her back, until they dissappeared compleatly. "Darcy would be very sad if you forgot her best friend." The girl's voice held adoration for the big man. "One would think I made quite an impression."

Thor's brow scrunched in confussion, "But...could it be?...Lady Jasmine!" he grabbed her up and helder her in a (bone-crushing) bear-hug. "How have you come to be here, my tiny friend?"

The girl chuckled breathlessly, "I missed you too, buddy. Now, calm down before I suffocate."

He suddenly, yet gently (who would've thought it possible), "My apologies, Lady Jamine. It was not my intention to harm you."

"I know, big guy."

"But how are you here? My father told me you resided in a jungle far from this place."

"Well, even Odin can't see everything all the time. But, before we go into our little meet-n-greet, I assume your brother is waiting to be transorted back to the hellicarrioer. Yes?"

"You are corret, my friend. But how did you-"

"Director Fury doesn't jsut rely on supersoldiers and demi-gods."

"Hey!" Tony yelled, indignantly, "Uh, genius party-boy, over here. I _was_ asked to join this little louou."

"Shut up, Stark!" both Steve and the girl, known now as Jasmine, yelled at the same time.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Ch. 5~ Indian Names**_

_Steve's POV_

"This guy's brain is a bag of cats. You can practically _smell_ the crazy on him." Dr. Banner stated.

"Have care how you speak," Thor warned him. "Loki may be beyond reason, but he _is_ of Asguard. And he is my brother."

"He killed 82 people in two days," said Agent Romanoff.

"He's adopted."

Miss Jasmine started chuckling.

"Something amusing, Agent Syren?" Fury asked her.

The spangled man sat up straighter in his chair.

"A bit." She got up, "It's just that I've never seen our little godling so eager to renounce his brother."

"I only meant~"

"I was joking, Thor. I meant no disrespect. The Ice Giants are a psychotic, bloodthirsty race." The small woman put a hand on his arm, "It was bound to happen one day, my friend. Even if Loki had never found out about his true parentage, the lure of power would have taken hold eventually."

_J.J.'s POV_

"Wait just a minute." The one they called Captain America spoke up. "You're a SHIELD agent?" she nodded. "And you're on speaking terms with…Asguardians? _And_ you can fly? Am I missing anything?"

Jasmine walked around the table, until she stood not three feet away from the Captain, much to his discomfort. She cocked her head to the side like a curious cat.

"You are Captain America, yes? The original, from the Second World War? You of all people should know that the extraordinary…are really quite normal. And, no, you aren't forgetting anything. You simply don't know them yet." The woman turned and addressed Fury. "I'm going to need time, lots of time, alone. I can't have your agents interrupting my progress."

"Of course. Anything else, Your Majesty?"

The glare that Jasmine shot him would have made a bigger man wither away in gear. "Bastet and Remus. I need them here, as soon as possible."

"I'll see to it myself. Is here any way you can give us an exact location?"

She looked out the window, "They won't be near the home-tree." Facing them she said, "When you get there, stay close to the hut, then call me and I'll see what I can do from there."

"Why don't you go get them yourself?" She spun towards Cap. "I mean, if you needed them so bad, why didn't you bring them? And how do we know that we can trust you anyway? You're a damn _feral_. Pardon my French, ladies."

Jasmine looked at him with glowing eyes and a black aura around her. "How dare you. You know nothing about me, Captain _America_. And yet you would base your judgment on a simple misguided assumption? Question my loyalties, _or_ my methods again, and you will find yourself in a not-so-hospitable place." And with that, the Syren stormed out of the room. The whole room was silent.

_Steve's POV_

"What was that about?" Steve breathed.

"I fear, good Captain, that you have placed yourself in a rather tight spot. Lady Jasmine is a rare flower. Her beauty draws you in, she is intoxicating. And then, when you think you have her in your grasp, she prick you with thorns filled with a poison that only makes you want her all the more. My Jane is much in this way, as well." Thor told him proudly.

"Not that!" Steve insisted, blushing, " I meant, what did she mean, using my name like that?"

"That, Captain Rogers," Fury said, " I something only she can answer."

"Now he had to unravel another thing about the mysterious woman.

_Jas POV_

She was in the training room. SHIELD had provided her with a new set of toys, just in case shit hit the fan and it all went to Hell. Throwing knives, combat knives, whip, and even a new blow dart pipe. The only thing she didn't change was her hand made darts, made with poison from an arrow frog and mixed with certain fungi to make it nonlethal. Though she did keep a jar of untampered frog juice with her at all times.

The drones used in training were good, but predictable. They calculated every detail, which left them open to attacks. Plus, they sucked at dodging small projectiles. Jasmine had music blaring, stuff like Dubstep, and Nickleback (Burn It To  
The Ground was playing). She felt the beat in her very core, which gave her an extra edge. Suddenly it cut off.

"Not the kind of music I'd've figured a dame like you would favor."

She spun around and threw a knife, landing barely half an inch from Steve Rogers's head.

_Steve POV_

"You just tried to kill me!"

The petite woman stalked up to him, closing in on his personal bubble, and reached up next to his head, pushing her small body nearer to his. "If I wanted to kill you, Captain America, believe me, you would be dead." As she said the last part, she pulled the knife out of the wall and ran it over his shoulder, until she tapped his chest with it.

"I thought you'd much rather prefer the tribal classics," he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"On days when I don't feel like killing something…anything with a good beat will do. Nickleback and SlimShady are more my style when the demon comes out to play."

"I don't know who either of those people are. And, no offence, ma'am, but I'm not really partial to that particular style of music."

"Well, to each their own. Now, what do you want? Did Fury send you?"

"No, ma'am. I just wanted to talk, get to know you. Y'know, try to understand why you seem to hate me so much."

Jasmine snorted, "Why would you want to get to know a monster?" I was soft, inaudible to anyone that didn't have the Infinity Serum. Then a little louder, she said, "They hired me so that they could better understand you and the others. And, yet, here you are trying to pick apart my mind."

"Now wait just a minute there! Ma'am, I don't think there's any reason for 'monster' to be an accurate way to describe a smart, pretty dame like yourself. I knew monsters, saw them during the war. You're no monster." He was boiling now. What was with this girl?

"You're right, perhaps. I'm not a monster." Jasmine looked him straight in the eye. What he saw there startled (and sort of scared) him. "Monsters can be forgiven, because they are simple beings that rely solely on their instincts…on what might hurt them. They are innocents, their minds twisted to the will of a stronger being. Demons, on the other hand…they know right from wrong, and they choose wrong. They enjoy it. Pain and suffering, confusion, panic, and sin…that is the feast they devour."

Steve stood there for a moment, watching her organizing her knives on the table. What could possibly have happened to make her think that she was evil? Demons were ugly things that were only alluring when they were tempting someone, not ravishingly beautiful women (wail, where did that come from?) who threw themselves in front of a weapon to save someone that said weapon probably wouldn't seriously hurt. A demon enticed out the worst in people, not calmed a room just by simply smiling (Again, WTH?!).

"I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong. Evil is not _always_ ugly all the time."

"Then prove it. Prove to me, right now, that you're not…" Aw, hell, how did he say this? "That you're not a gentle hero."

She looked surprised, then calculating. The next thing Steve knew, he was against the wall with a bare foot against his chest. With a consprital grin, he grabbed her ankle and spun her away. Jasmine, this time had two long, thin knives. And she was coming straight at him. As he dodged each swing, he started noticing a change in her. The small woman was transformed, her hair flying around as she moved, her eyes became nearly crazed. Then he saw what looked like flames that, though nearly transparent, were beginning to spread from her back to the rest of her body. They moved like they were real, but patterned. She suddenly broke away from him, as if realizing something.

"There is nothing gentle about me, Captain." He was surprised to see a pained look cross her face.

Then the door burst open. Before Steve could react, to animal shapes barreled past him and over to the woman that was now huddled on the floor.

"Captain, I suggest you vacate the immediate premises. Things are going to get a bit ugly if you stay." Fury warned him.

"But~"

"No 'buts', Captain Rogers. That's an order. Make yourself scarce before push comes to shove. NOW!"

**A/N: Uh oh, something big's happening. Wonder what it is…**

**I need reviews people, so R&R or I won't continue with anything!**

**Luvs,**

**AcaciaDawn**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Ch. 6~ Nothing Ventured**_

"What the hell is going on, Director?" Steve yelled as soon as he was on the bridge.

"Something that you can't help."

"The hell, there isn't. I want answers, and I want them now!"

"What's goin' on here, Capcicle? Cyclops here givin' you a hard time?" Tony snidly commented.

"Stay out of this, Stark. Director Fury, with all do respect, sir: I think, as a person who will be working with Miss Jasmine, that I have a right to know what the _hell _just happened in that room. Why did she look like something was hurting her? What were those things that came in the room? And what was with the markings?!" His rant seemed to slightly amuse Tony.

Fury sighed, then pinned Steve down with his eye. "Captain, you know how many religions believe that demons, incubi more specifically, walk on the earth to procreate for their master?" Steve nodded, as a Catholic, he knew about demons. "Well, that just happens to be the case with Agent Syren. Her father, who was supposedly the right hand man of the Devil, found her mother. One thing led to another, and before you know it, there's a Mini-Miss Hellboy on the loose."

" 'Cept she's not red…or has horns." Tony joked.

"Mr. Stark, what ever you do, don't say that when she's mad, or you're more likely not to walk away from it than you would be with Dr. Banner's not-so-jolly green giant. Captain, that's what she was trying to tell you a moment ago. When the _demon_ comes out to play…Agent Syren is a demon-born. Her human self and demon half are always at odds with each other, which explanes why she was having such a hard time not actually killing you when you were sparring. Those markings on her skin, the flames, those are the marks of her other half. She calls herself Delilah Deirdra Dinah, meaning 'Beautiful Temptress of Sorrowful Judgement.' We call her Triple D as a code name. Delilah is…strong, which makes me wonder how Jasmine has managed to hold her back from mass destruction. The two have been at odds for practically her whole life. We've kept a very close eye on her since she was born."

"So…you're housing an agent of Satan in the world's top secret government agency?" Tony joked.

"As a matter of fact, Stark, that's exactly what we're doing. You see, Delilah has been 'prophicised' to be the one that the end of the world would happen because of, but that she could very well change the course of history. SHIELD needs to be the one to have their hands on her if she goes feral…_truly _feral. We can't risk letting Agent Syren out of our sights until she calms down."

Steve sighed dejectedly, "And how long will that take?"

"Well, that depends."

"On?"

"On whether or not she has anything to eat in her current state. Luckily for us, we keep about three dozen buvine on board specifically for her."

"So many?"

"It should keep her for about two months, as long as Delilah doesn't come out more than five times in the space of a few weeks."

_This is gonna be harder than I thought. _Steve said to himself. _What if she sides with Loki? She did say that demons prefer chaos and calamity…_


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7~ Bastet and Remus

Cap POV

Steve was walking down the hall, heading back towards the gym. He had recently been informed that Miss Jasmine had been relocated to a place where she could calm down until her…Delilah…went 'back to sleep,' as Fury had put it. The Captain had been working with the punching bag, when he thought he felt someone watching him.

Turning around, he saw the biggest damn dog ever. The canine came nearly to his mid-thigh, and had a lilthe body covered in shaggy dark grey fur. Steve knelt down and held his hand out to the dog.

"Come here, boy," he whistled, "Come on." The dog got up from his sitting position and walked over to him, not even pausing at his hand to lick Steve's face. He laughed and started petting the animal. "Where'd you come from, buddy? How'd you get all the way up here?"

"_Remus!_ You _idiot!_ I leave you alone for _one_ minute, ugh. Get over here!" a feminine voice rang out.

Steve looked up, only to meet the eyes of a huge black cat – no, it was a jaguar…or a panther. Whichever it was, it looked like it was getting ready to pounce on them. Of course, his first reaction was to push the dog, which had begun to whimper, behind him, and get ready to hold of the preditor.

The feline made a peculiar sound in its throat, almost an amused snort mixed with a purr, and cocked its head to the side. Then it began to gracefully stalk towards them, and Steve was hit with a great force of recognition. This black animal moved with the same grace and air of tempting danger as Miss Jasmine did.

"Relax, Captain of America, I have not come to harm you." Steve's eyes widened and he found his jaw on the floor (not really, because that would be painful). The voice came from the jaguar, but its lips weren't moving. Her speech was smooth and soft, like the velvet of her pelt. "I apologize for that idiot over there, he will do anything for a bellyrub."

"Wha – ngh – mmph…"his brain had yet to catch up with what he was seeing. The animals both chuckled, and he finally unstuck his tongue from the roof of his mouth. "Who are you? And how are you talking?"

"Ah, yes. I supposed it is a bit of a shock for you. I am Bastet, that is my spirit brother, Remus. We are soul sharers of the one called the Syren, whom we call Jasmine. Her father's power has allowed us the ability to speak, though mostly only with each other and Jasmine."

"Jazzy wants to have a talk with you, big guy." This voice came from Remus, loud and rough, a lot like his old friend, Bucky. "Can I have some more pets?"

"Remus, quiet youre stupidity. But, yes, Jasmine would like to speak with you, Captain of America."

"It's just Steve," he corrected. _Why the hell am I correcting an animal on what to call me?_

"Well, then, _Just_ Steve, if you will follw us, we will lead you."

As they walked down the hall, no one even so much as glanced their way, which made Steve pause.

"Dont' the agents think it's a bit strange having two animals stalking the halls?"

"Not at all. Yes, some of the younger cubs thought it was strange at first, but they are quite well trained. The older ones knew us from before."

"Before? You mean when Miss Jasmine first went...shifted...into Delilah?"

Bastet stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. Remus just sat down and whined. "You are very well informed. Yes," it came out as a purr, "When Dililah first took complete control of their shared body, SHIELD was there almost immidiately. Dililah," she hissed, "had had similar incedents, in smaller scale. This time..."

"What happened?"

"She will have to telly ou that. Neither of us know the whole story, because she keeps it blocked from us." They both stopped on either side of a door, like statuesque guards.

"Jazzy's in here. Be nice to her, she has no control over Dililah, but will do anything to keep her from hurting anyone."

Steve just nodded and hesitantly stepped through the door. Inside, the room was dark, lit by only a few candles. All around him were trees, flowers, ferns, and vines of all sized, shapes, and colors. The air was more humid in this room than anywhere else on the helecarrier.

"I take it you've met Bastet and Remus, then?" the voice made him jump and turn in place, looking around. "You will never find me, if I so choose, Captain." The leaves started sustling all around him. "And you will never find me...on the jungle floor!"

At the last word, Steve Rogers a.k.a. _The_ Captain America, found himself facedown in the dirt, with something reatively heavy on his back. He felt himself being flipped over, then that same wieght on his chest.

"We've gotta stop meeting like this." He said glumly. "Never thought I'd say that. So, which one are you?"

"Dililah went back to sleep a while ago. I made sure she was long gone before I even sent Bastet and Remus to you. I hope they treated you well."

"Oh, yeah. I love dogs, especially big ones that come right up and let you pet 'em. And Bastet..."

"She's a bit intense sometimes. But she has to be, in order to deal with Remus.

"I was gonna say she's a lot like you, ma'am. Kind, protective, and..." he trailed off.

"And?"

"And, uh, well, she's a intimidating..." Steve noticed that she had shifted to sit back, closer to his hips. "You know...uh, no offence, ma'am, but could you get off?"

"What? Oh! Sorry." Jasmine stood up and stepped over him, heading for what looked a pond. "They tried to recreate the world I've lived in for the past few years, so that I'd feel more comfortable. They gave me a gymnasium sized room to run around in, somewhere my other side could go and hunt without killing anyone."

"They said something about the first time Dililah took complete control?"

The small woman sighed. "Yes, well. It was a long time ago. I was...sevenb, eight years old, at a park where I would just sit on the swing set every day, waiting for someone to come along and ask me to play. One day, I was sitting there, swinging, and this group of kids came by. They were there almost everyday, playing together. And when they came up to me, I thought they were going to ask me to play. But they didn't. Those kids, they came up to me and told me to move, because they wanted to all swing together.

"Back then, my mother had taught me the importance of friends, so I got off my swing. I figured that maybe they were friends, so they should be together. But, when I got off, instead of getting on together, they circled me. I stood there for ten minutes having insults thrown at me like a firing squad, and getting pushed back and forth like a ragdoll.

"Finally, this older kid came over, and I thought I was safe. Until one of the kids, who happened to be his younger sister, told him that I hadc pushed her down, torn her favorite dress, and made her cry. Of course, I hadn't. Anyway, he had some serious anger issues, and he punched me." Steve's heart stopped. Where he was from, no man hit a woman, no matter how angry he was. "I got a bloddy nose and a busted lip for doing nothing but trying to let friends be together.

"It only took about ten seconds for Dililah to decide she wasn't going to put up with it. I don't remember what happened after that. The next thing I knew, the Director and Phil were there, talking to my mother, and there was nothing left of the swing set but a few pieces of melting plastic seats." She looked back at him, her expression unreadable. "And that's how I ended up in SHIELD. I killed eight kids that day and they wanted to use me to protect the world."

"No." The tone of finality in his voice made Jasmine turn and look at him, confused. "Did you want to kill those kids?"

"Of course not," she said in such a soft, broken voice, that he almost took the five steps that lay between them and hugged her.

"Dililah was the one who killed those eight kids. SHIELD wanted_ you_ to protect the world." Then he did exactly what every pore in his body was screaming at him to do.

Steve felt Jasmine stiffen when he put his arms around her and pulled her against his chest. Even though she didn't make any noise, he could feel the salty liquid that was slowly plastering the area of cloth that was her face rested against. All our good captain could do was stand there and hold the gently shaking girl...woman...and hope that whatever pain she was feeling, he could aleviate.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ch. 8~ Interegation**

Jasmine POV

Fury wnated her to go talk to Loki, one monster to another. He wanted information, and he wanted it yesterday. For whatever reason, the director thought that she could get inside the lunatics head. Probably because she could spy a tell from a mile away. So, tapping in her personal code, then scanning her thumb and eye, Jasmine Junypur, a.k.a. Syren, strod through the heavily reinforced door and spied the God of Mischief sitting in the middle of his flass prison.

"Hello there. I was beginning to wonder when they would send you to me." Loki grinned, giving his face a rather manic look. "Like a lamb to slaughter."

"You speak as if you know me, why is that?" she asked cooly, leaning casually against the railing. "I don't believe we've met."

"Ah, but I _know_ of you, my dear. The famous, frightening Agent Syren. How delectable. I've been eager to meet you personally, you know, ever since the…incedent last year." The way he tilted his head as he stood up immediately reminded J.J. of a snake. It was a cold, insane, and deceptivly calm demenor. "You see, I have been waiting, _very _patiently I might add, to learn why a rare beauty such as you would throw themselves, _willingly_, before the Destroyer. Just to save a man they hardly knew."

She just watched him for a moment before answering. "What happened to you?" J.J. whispered. Loki looked taken aback.

"What do you mean?" That was clearly not the response he was expecting.

"Thor has told me so many stories about you. Of how you and he would play together as young boys, then grew into men who fought side by side in every battle. The Mighty Felhammer, and the Great Silver-tongue. He told me of how you cared for each other and sought out each other's council in times of uncertainty. What happened to change _you_ from the man I pictured in my mind, into this? A cold-hearted murderer, who betrays his own _brother_ for power?"

"That is the way of the world, is it not? One brother, destine to become king, while the other sits by in the shadows and watch as the people flock to the one who has always had all the glory."

"No, Loki, it's not. Who's to say that you could not have been the king's right hand man, his royal advisor, who helps him make the _right_ decisions? Hm? Or you could have left. You could have gone and found happiness in the form of a woman, someone who would care for you until your dying day. What is so wrong with thos choses? Why did you have to run away and become _this_?"

"You know NOTHING!" he yelled, hitting his hand against the glass. Then he was suddenly quiet as he looked towards the ground. "You don't know what I've been through, the things I've learned." Loki's eyes tore at her hear when he looked at her. "The man that I called 'Father' for jundreds of years had taken me from my place of birth and raised me on _lies_. They made me believe that I was one of their own, when I was, in fact, the child of Laufey."

"King of Jotunheim, home of the Frost Giants. Yes, I know your story, Loki, right down to you proclaiming yourself king of Asgard and banishing Thor forever. I know that you helped the Jotun. But, no matter the evidence, your brother refuses still loves you. He refuses to believe that you are beyond help."

"And what of you, Agent Syren? What do you think?"

"I doesn't really matter what I think." J.J. put her hand on the glass where his had just vacated. "Take my hand." He looked around him, as if to say, 'Hello, I'm in a box.' "Just put your hand over mine."

They say that when someone opens the door to another's mind, things can go both ways...it is a door, after all. Even through the think safety glass, the rush of power nearly blew them both back. There was a flash of memories going and from him, before Loki broke away, gasping.

"By Valhallah!" He was doubled over. "What are you?!"

"Something I pray that you never have to face."

"And here I though I was the only true monster on this vessle. Even the great beast is not feared as much as we two. Why is that?" He was laughing.

"They fear what they cannot control. But I don't think you are actually monsters."

"Oh, really?" Loki smirked at her.

"Yes. I think you're just misunderstood. I don't think that you yourself are the monster, but that you have a monster hiding inside of your mind. Unfortunatly, while I try to keep my demon at bay," she felt herself shift, breifly letting the other side show through, before turning back, "You simply choose to kill innocent people."

"No one is innocent."

"What about those children?"

"They all hurt each other, whether knowingly or not. And then, eventually, they grow into adults who _always_ knowingly hurt each other."

"Then you know nothing of humanity. You see, we have a nasty little habit of going against stereotypes, against the norm."

"HA! You call yourself a human. Then let me tell you something: Humanity craves subjugation. Even you, who puts on a _wonderful_ facade of being strong, unbreakable, and independant. Yet, you wish for someone who can show you the meaning of humility. A man to dominate you." Natasha picked that meaning to walk in. "Just as all 'strong' women do." He finished, turning away.

"That's where you're wrong, Loki. I don't wnat a man who can _dominate_ me. I wnat one who can _handle_ me." Then she turned and walked towards the door. As she passed Nat, she whispered, "Good luck. You're going to need it." And she left.

Moments after leaving the detention cell, J.J. began to get dizzy. She knew immediatly what was happening. Loki's presence had woken Dililah, and she wanted out. The cool metal of the wall ment J.J.'s burning skin, and she slipped down to the floor. J.J. didn't know how long she sat there. It could have been mere seconds, or hours. But, someone finally touched her shoulder. Everything was fuzzy, like her brain was covered in cotton. When she looked up, the bright blue eyes, full of concern, belonged to a certain giagantic Norse god.

"Lady Jasmine?" he said again. "Are you well?" Thor's worry made her throat choke up even more. "Can you stand? I shall take you to Dr. Banner's laboratory."

Somehow, she managed to hold back the demon as Thor helped her up and slowly walked her to the lab.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Ch. 9~ Fighting**_

**Thor POV**

Lady Jasmine was not well, and he didn't need to be a physician to know that. Never had he seen her so weak, so shaky. Her eyes were unfocused and her body was covered in a sheen of sweat. What could have possibly caused her to break so?

"Dr. Banner! Mister Stark! I need your assistance!" Thor boomed.

"Right here, big guy. What's the problemo-oo-oh?" Tony walked in to see a nearly unconscious Jasmine leaning heavily against the big blond Adonis. "Yo, Brucey. We got a little bitty problem, buddy." He turned back to Thor. "Bring her in here. You can put her down on the exam table."

So, Thor picked up the tiny woman, and set her down on the newly cleared table. Bruce washed his hands, and then came over. "What happened?"

"I do not know. I found Lady Jasmine slumped over in the hallway."

"Loki," she breathed.

"What?" Bruce stopped his examination.

"I was talking to Loki."

Thor's rage began building up. "What did he do to you? What magic has he worked on your mind to cause you such pain?"

"Thor, I'll be fine. I just-" she cringed, and then rolled over, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Tony grabbed a trashcan and held it under her head. Bruce held her hair and steadied her, while Thor rubbed her back soothingly. When Jasmine had finished emptying the contents of her stomach, she laid back. Bruce told Thor to help her sit up and handed her a cup of water.

"I'm ok. Loki didn't use any magic. Delilah, however, is not very happy with my denying his offer."

"What offer?" the Ironman questioned. "I didn't hear him ask you anything."

"That's because videos don't pick up telepathy. When I exchanged memories with him in an attempt to scare him into submission, which didn't work very well, I heard him silently hoping I would join his campaign." The Syren took another sip of water before continuing. "He saw how powerful Delilah is, and he wants that power under his control. I'd hate to see what happens to him when he tries to tangle with Delilah."

"Who is this Delilah?" Thor asked.

Jasmine looked between Tony and Bruce, "You didn't tell him?"

"We figured it was something that you'd rather tell him yourself." The peaceful doctor mumbled.

"Tell me what? What in the Allfather's name is going on?"

She looked to her massive friend. "Delilah is my hidden half, the demon side borne by my mother's lover. My father was the right hand man to the Devil himself."

"You are…fel-born?"

"Yup." She popped the P.

The men just looked at her, until Bruce spoke up. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head?"

**J.J. POV**

"I'm _fine_. If you'd rather deal with the demon, I can gladly pass out _right_ now." Jasmine raised an eyebrow. When they did the same in return, she sighed and preceided to explain her predicament.

You see, when Delilah decided she wanted to come out, Jasmine had to fight to keep conciousness. If she lost, her conscious self got pushed to the deepest, darkest crevice in their mind. When she came back, nothing that had happened in their mind switch was known to her. Unfortunately, Delilah never slept, except for right after she took control. All in all, it was a cumbersome issue. Every time the demon came out, the woman had to watch a video feed of what she'd done. It was never pretty.

"So, how many people has she killed?" Bruce asked suddenly.

Jasmine sighed. "I don't know the exact umbers, but it's somewhere around fifty or sixty. It's not as much as it could be, but it's taken me years to create a tight reign on her."

_That's what you think, sister._ Delilah hissed. _If not for me, we'd have died long ago._

"Shh! Shut up and go to sleep!" Jasmine suddenly snapped. All three men looked up in confusion. "Sorry, she's making snarky comments."

_When are you going to accept that we need each other to exist? There is a reason Father chose Mother. He knew she would bear him a child to-_

'_To destroy the world, Delilah!_' Jasmine stopped her. _And if I have any say in the matter, that's _not_ going to happen.'_

"So, you can actually have civil conversations with this…other side?" Bruce asked.

"The conversations we have are anything but civil. Mostly it's just her giving me advice on how to kill someone if they make her mad. I have, however, managed to learn several tidbits about our condition."

"Such as?" The demigod was getting antsy, for whatever reason.

"Such as…if we don't find a way to get along and join our halves, we don't reach our full potential. I'm also, apparently, a ticking time-bomb. If we don't join, something will happen and Delilah will take complete control…forever. _My_ conscious self will be destroyed, and she'll be on the loose with no one to control her."

There was silence all around for a long minute. The men were trying to take in the news that, at any moment, this tiny woman that they all considered a friend, might die. And if that happened, they'd have an uncontrollable she-demon to deal with.

_I think you may have broken them,_ the other half snarked. _Perhaps you shouldn't have said anything._

"It's alright, though." Jasmine tried to brighten the mood. "I'll feel it coming, and that will give me just enough time to permanently fix the problem."

"You mean to end your own life?" Thor gasped.

"I'm going to die anyway. What's the point of letting her take over completely and kill everything I hold dear if I can stop it. Thor, if you and Loki were part of one body and two minds, and you knew that he would end everything, wouldn't you find a way to end the suffering before it started?"

"But…you said you could join with her, and it would end the possibility of any of that happening!"

"In what universe would any sane person want to be eternally joined to a demon bent on killing everyone they ever loved? I don't _want_ to be tied to Delilah!"

_Oh, you wound me, sister. Who _wouldn't_ want to be joined to a beautiful seductress such as myself._

'_Shut UP!'_

"Does SHIELD know about this?" Tony asked.

"Yes. They're pushing me to join with her. Apparently, I'm their most valuable chess piece right now. I'm the queen, I can go anywhere and take anything. But, at the same time, I'm just a pawn. I go where _they tell_ me to go, and take what_ they tell_ me to take."

_We are irreplaceable to them. If we so wish, we could have them all._

"Even now, all she thinks about is power and death. I don't know how much longer I have, but it gets harder push her back every day."

"Does _Capcicle_ know?" the Robo-man snarked.

When Jasmine looked at him, he laughed. "Why should he? This is none of his concern…and I would be very appreciative if you don't say anything about it. Delilah is my problem, no one else's."

"Jasmine, if we could find a way to keep your other half under control, wouldn't you prefer-"

"No. I'm done being experimented on, done being used as a lab rat. This conversation is over." She looked each one of them in the eye, ending with Bruce. "I'm fine."

And thus, the matter was dropped.


End file.
